iption I have of Eustace does not agree at all
with the build and general appearance of that man. If Eustace were there
at the time he must have kept behind me. Is Mrs. Burke a woman who talks
much?"

"Talks? She does nothing else. She tells everyone everything."

"Then it is no use my trying to keep this episode of the handkerchief
quiet?"

"Not if she knows anything about it. She will tell everyone about it
directly she comes to the township."

"Oh, she knows about it. She is a plucky woman. She drove them off,
firing at them; then she discovered me on the verandah and nearly shot
me into the bargain. When I was set free this handkerchief was on the
verandah and she saw it as soon as I picked it up."

"Then everyone in the township will hear about it," Harding said. "She
is to come in this afternoon to meet Mr. Wallace."

"When is he due?"

"About noon he ought to be here."

"Then I'll ride out and meet him," Durham said shortly. "Is there anyone
in particular who was with the crowd last night to whom I can go for
further information?"

"Mr. Gale was one."

"I'll see him," Durham said, and left the bank, finding Gale in the
street discussing the latest raid with half a dozen other men of the
town. He left them at once and came over to the sub-inspector.

"Look here, it's no use wasting more time," he exclaimed warmly. "We all
say there is only one thing to be done if those scoundrels are to be
caught. We must scour the ranges. I'll volunteer and so will everyone
else in the place. The only hope is to ride them down."

"Quite useless," Durham replied curtly.

"It's the only course to adopt," Gale retorted. "We're all bushmen here
and know what's the proper thing to do. You can't apply town methods to
bush-rangers, you know. You may be the smartest man in the force at
catching city burglars and spielers, but you are out of your element in
the bush. There's only one thing to be done--track them down."

"How many are there?"

"Well, two for certain--probably more."

"Probably more--exactly. And most probably one or other of the remainder
is in the town acting as a spy for the others. If that is so, what will
happen when you set out in force? Everyone would volunteer, as you say,
and one of the number would give warning of what was being done. What
chance would there be then of making a capture? You tried last night.
What was the result?"

"We found their tracks."

"Then why didn't you follow them?"